Car construction



Nov- 9 1926. 1,665,943

H. S. HART I CAR CONSTRUCTION Filed Feb. 23. 1923 Patented Nov. 9, 1925.

caries HARRY S. HART, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

CAR CONSTRUCTION.

Application filed. February 23, 1923.

The present invention relates to car construction and has for its object to provide a brace member for the car sides, stakes and underframe members which will occupy a minimum amount of space thus providing a maximum carrying capacity for the car and one which is unlikely to be damaged by the unloading means, such as clam shells, all as will hereinafter more fully appear.

Referring to the drawings- Figure 1 is a fragmentary view in vertical section illustrating part of a car embodying the principles of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a view in elevation of the structure shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the structure illustrated in Figures 1 and 2; and

Figure & is a perspective view of the construction shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3.

As is well known in this art, general service cars comprise a floor having a relatively large number of drop doors hinged at or near the center sill of the car and dropping downwardly from the car sides to discharge the load. The provision of such doors, however, takes away to some extent from the capacity of the floor to act as a brace for the underframe members resisting the racking strains to which these members are subjected in use. It is desirable, therefore, to provide a means for connecting the underframe members to the car sides and stakes in order to counteract the racking strains and also to brace the car sides and stakes against lateral strains caused by the lading. It has been customary hitherto in this art to provide the. lower portion of the sides of the car with a longitudinal inwardly inclined sur face extending throughout the length of the side, which portion has the function of stiffening the car side, tying together the underframe members so as to prevent lateral strains and to provide a shedding surface for the rapid discharge of the load. This construction, however, occupies a considerable amount of space which diminishes the carrying-capacity of the car'and presents an extended surfacewhich is likely to be struck by clam shells which are sometimes used for removing the load from the car when the load is not dumped through the doors, thus bending and distorting the in-v clined portions of the car side and sometimes caus ng in ury to the door operatingmechaand stakes 2.

Serial No. 620,559.

nism commonly located beneath these inclined portions.

In carrying out my present invention, I have provided a brace member which acts to prevent the racking strains upon the underframe members, which presents a relatively small surface and one unlikely to be injured by clam shells or unloading implements and which is provided with the desirable inclined surfaces which aid in the discharging of the load.

The numeral 1 indicates the side wall of a rallway freight car. Said side wall may be. provided with the usual stakes, one of which is illustrated in each of the figures by the numeral 2, which stakes 2 may be provlded with the flanges 3-3 which bear upon the outside of the side wall 1 of the car. The numeral l represents one of the cross ties of the car, which cross ties lie between stakes on the two sides of the car in right angular relationship with said car sides. The cross tie 4 is provided with an offset portion adjacent to the side wall 1 whereby to receive the horizontal flange of the angle 5 which extends longitudinally of the car. Rivets 6-6 may be provided for joining the vertical flange of angle 5 to the side wall 1.

According to the present invention, means are provided for forming a rugged bracing means between the cross ties 4;,side wall 1 The brace referred to is indicated by the numeral 7 and is of generally triangular conformation in plan, front elevational and side elevational views. brace 7 may be pressed out of steel and comprises a housing of relatively smooth contour provided with the top flange 8, which is shown as bearing against said side wall and which may be riveted to side wall 1 and stake 2 by means of the rivets 9-9. The brace 7 is also provided with the vertically placed side flanges 10-10, which may be secure'd to the angle 5 and side member 1 by means of rivets 11-11. Said brace 7 is also provided with the horizontal side flanges 12-12, which may be riveted to the angle 5 by means of rivets 13-13. Said brace 7 is also provided with the front flange 1e, whichmay be riveted to the corresponding cross stake 4 by means of rivets 15-15.

It will be noted from the drawing (see Figure 3) that my improved brace in plan presents a substantially triangular member connectedat its apex through the rivets 15 Sad lOO

with the cross members of the underframe through the rivets 13 with the lower chord of the car sides. This forms an effective brace against racking strains.

It will also be noted (see Figure 1) that my improved brace embodies a substantially triangular member connected to the cross members by the rivets 15 and to the car sides and stakes through the rivets 9, thus serving as a brace against lateral strains.

It will also be noted (see Figure 4) that I have provided my brace member with in clined side surfaces which serve to efficient- I shed the load when the car is unloaded trough the doors.

My improved brace, therefore, in general com rises a member substantially triangular in p an and elevation connected to the cross members and car sides and to the cross members and car sides and stakes.

The entire member occupies a minimum amount of space in the car and presents a relatively small amount of surface thus rendering unlikely its injury by unloading devices.

Though a preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described in detail, it will be understood that many modifications Will occur to those skilled in the art. It is intended in this patent to cover all such modifications that fall Within the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A brace member for railway cars comprising a. substantially triangular member as viewed in plan and elevation, said member having means for connecting same to the cross niembers'of the nnderframe and car sides and to the cross members of the underframe and car sides and stakes.

2. A brace member for railway cars com prising a substantially triangular member as viewed in plan and elevation, said member having means for connecting same to the cross members of the nnderframe and car sides and to the cross members of the underf-rame and car sides and stakes respectively, said triangular member including a shedding member.

3. An integral brace member for railway cars comprising a substantially triangular member as viewed in plan and elevation, and means for connecting same to the cross members of the underframe and car sides and to the cross members of the underframe and car sides and stakes.

4. Freight car construction comprising a car sidemeniber, a vertical eta-keen one side .of said "member and a horizontal cross tie 1011 the other sideof said member, and a brace comprising a member of trlangular formation :in plan and elevation and haaiing was and side member "to said er-ms st amtially smoothcnntour securing said stake 5. Car construction comprising a car side, a cross tie arranged at right angles to said car side, an angle member extending longitudinally of said car and secured to said car side and said cross tie, and a brace comprising a portion of substantially smooth contour, said portion being substantially triangular in plan, side elevation and front elevation, said portion having a flange engaging and secured to said side Wall, flanges engaging and secured to said angle, and a flange secured to said cross tie.

6. Car construction comprising a car side member, a stake on one side of said member, and a cross tie on the other side of said member, an end of said cross tie being adjacent to said stake, and a brace comprising a portion of substantially smooth contour secured at one extremity to said cross tie and at another extremity to said side member and stake.

7. Car construction comprising a car side member, a stake on one side thereof, a cross tie on the opposite side thereof, the end of said cross tie being adjacent to said stake, and a brace having a portion of substantially smooth contour, said portion having a flange bearing against said side member and secured to said side member and stake, said portion having another flange secured to said cross tie.

8. Car construction comprising a car side member, a stake on one side thereof, a cross tie on the opposite side thereof, the end of said cross tie being adjacent to Said stake, and a brace having a portion of substantially smooth contour, said portion being triangular in plan, side elevation and front elevation, said portion having a flange bearing against said side member and secured to said side member and stake, said portion having another flange secured to said cross tie.

9. Car construction comprising a car side member, a stake on one side thereof, a cross tie on the opposite side thereof, one end of said cross tie being adjacent to said stake, an angle extending longitudinally of the car secu red to said side member and to said cross tie, and a brace having a portion of substantially smooth contour, said portion having a flange bearing against said side member and secured to said side member and stake, said portion also having flanges secured to said angle, said side member and said cross tie.

10. Car construction comprising a car side member, a stake on one side thereof, a cross tie on the .op osite side thereof, one .end of said cross tie ein adjacent to said stake, an angle"'extending iongitudinalliy of the car securedito said side member and to saidcross tie, and abraee "having a-portiql of substantiall smooth contour substantially -t ;r -iangular in plan, fr n ele i n and asid elevaa rat n a g "flang h arin against said side member and secured to said side member and stake, said portion also having flanges secured to said angle, said side member and said cross tie.

11. Car construction comprising a car side member, a stake on one side of said member and a cross tie on the other side of said member, an end of said cross tie being adjacent to said stake, and a brace comprising a portion of substantially smooth contour secured at one extremity to said cross tie and at another extremity to said side member and stake, said portion being substantially triangular in plan, side elevation and front elevation.

Signed at Chicago, Illinois, this 14th day of February, 1923.

HARRY S. HART. 

